Device for storing and distributing, for example medicine cups

ABSTRACT

Medicine distribution apparatus including a tray divided into a number of sections or compartments and having a stand of cardboard or the like fitting in each compartment with each stand provided with holes, for example four, for the insertion of disposable medicine cups, the stand in some cases being arranged so that the portion thereof removed to form a hole for a medicine cup is utilizable as a cover for the medicine cup on which cover markings indicating instructions for the medicine may be placed. The medicine cups are provided with an edge by which they are supported in the holes in the stands.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Sture Lindgren Karlaplan 6; OveGustav Littorin, Gavlegatan 27, both of Stockholm, Sweden [21) Appl. No.741,371

[22] Filed July 1, 1968 [45] Patented July 6, 1971 [32] Priority June30, 1967 {33] Sweden [S4] DEVICE FOR STORING AND DISTRIBUTING, FOR

72,1,126, 74, 71; 312/209, 1; 206/72, 65; 215/7; D44/14; D83/1.4;248/312; 224/48-1, 48-2, 48; 217/18; l08/43;229/28 [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS I 2,210,521 8/1940 Bemis 211/126 UX 2,763,3789/1956 Black 211/88 3,233,804 2/1966 Dahm 211/126 X 3,324,998 6/1967Farquhar... 229/28 X 3,390,766 7/1968 Stockdale... 206/65 3,491,8941/1970 Brown 211/74 Des 5 .651 7/1919 Adams H Des.44/l4 X Des. 166.7345/1952 Chandler. D.83/1.4 UX 1,091,026 3/1914 Traugottum 211/72 UX1,199,987 10/1916 Husted 206/72 1,306,591 6/1919 Grant 206/72 2,026,39612/1935 Meinecke.... 206/72 2,492,152 12/1949 Hollowell 248/312 UX2,575,661 11/1951 Hickey 312/209 X 2,826,347 3/1958 Schiavo 206/72 X3,145,841 8/1964 McGuire 206/72 FOREIGN PATENTS 535,565 10/1931 Germany224/48 Primary Examiner-Roy D. Frazier Assistant Examiner-AbrahamFrankel Attorney-Darby & Darby ABSTRACT: Medicine distribution apparatusincluding a tray divided into a number of sections or compartments andhaving a stand of cardboard or the like fitting in each compartment witheach stand provided with holes, for example four, for the insertion ofdisposable medicine cups, the stand in some cases being arranged so thatthe portion thereof removed to form a hole for a medicine cup isutilizable as a cover for the medicine cup on which cover markingsindicating instructions for the medicine may be placed. The medicinecups are provided with an edge by which they are supported in the holesin the stands.

PATENTEUJUL 619?! 3591014 SHEET 2 OF 2 P I 5 10 FIG.2

DEVICE FOR STORING AND DISTRIBUTING, FOR EXAMPLE MEDICINE CUPS Thisinvention relates to a device adapted for the storage and distributionof, for example, medicine cups, comprising a tray divided into asuitable number of sections or compartments, each of the sections beingintended for one distribution place, for example for one patient, andseparated from adjacent sections by a band or groove surrounding thesection.

So-called medicine trays of this type are previously known and appliedto a great extent in hospitals, nursing homes and other similarinstitutions where medicine is carried to the pa tients, usually threeor four times a day, for example in the morning, at lunchtime, in theevening and possibly in the night. The medicine to be distributed to thepatients in a department or ward in the course of, for example, 1 day,usually is prepared in advance and stored before distribution in smallmedicine cups placed on the tray. The tray thus prepared is stored in amedicine closet or room. These known trays, however, involve certaindisadvantages, e.g. that the medicine cups do not stand safely on theirintended place on the tray, but easily can be disarrayed and knockedover when the tray is being handled carelessly. The medicine thereby isspilled and must be replaced. It is not possible to preserve pills orother medicine in solid state, because they are mixed together.

It is the object of the invention to produce a device for storing anddistributing medicine cups at which the aforesaid disadvantages entirelyare eliminated. The invention is substantially characterized in thatevery section has a plurality of holes for receiving as many medicinecups as are required for the medicines prescribed to be distributed to apatient at different times during a predetermined period, for exampleduring 24 hours, each of the medicine cups placed in the sections beingprovided with a cover, which indicates when the medicine in the cup isto be distributed and taken.

The invention is described in the following in greater detail, referencebeing made to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the device accordingto the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a partial view in a perspective way of another embodimentwith separate stands.

FIG. 3 shows a horizontal view of a stand in spread out state.

FIG. 4 shows in a schematic way a medicine cup placed in the stand andprovided with a cover.

The device according to the invention shown in FIG. I comprises a planepanel 1, which on its lower surface is provided with a peripheral edging2 extending all around the panel and as shown in FIG. 2 having suitablyshaped handles. On its upper surface the panel I is divided intosections or compartments 4 by grooves or bands 3 extending in transverseand longitudinal direction, said sections in the embodiment shown beingin number. The number of sections in every tray is not limited to thenumber indicated, but can be varied according to demand.

Each of the sections 4 is provided with a suitable number of holes 5,preferably four, adapted to receive conical medicine cups 6 (FIG. 4) ofthe single-use type which can be stacked and preferably are transparent.Also other appropriate cups may be used, but the cups being used must beprovided with a scale graduated in milliliters and have an edge 7extending all around the cup, as appears from FIG. 4, said edge beingintended to abut upon the hole edge and to carry the cup, so that thecup is not moved from its place when the tray is being placed down on atable. The edge 7 also acts as a stacking edge so as to form a spacebetween the cups stacked one into the other.

Every section, furthermore, is provided with a longitudinal slot 8 closeto one longitudinal side of the section for placing therein a card 9provided with a print, such as for example Patient: Bed: Room: and withother spaces for being filled with suitable information on the patientin question. Every section or compartment, moreover, is marked, forexample by A, B, C, etc.

The embodiment shown in a schematic way in FIG. 2 comprises also a planepanel 1, but has an upright peripheral edging 2. This panel is also onits upper surface divided into sections or compartments 4, which aresurrounded by an upright band 3 or are defined by a groove or the like,and on the bottom of the panel a prescription written for the patient inquestion and covered by a transparent plate can be placed. In every suchsection a stand 10 with holes 5 for four cups, for example, is arranged.Said stands 10 are shaped like an open box placed upside down, are madeof a relatively stiff pliable material, such as for example cardboard,and are intended to be delivered in blank state formed with snappingflaps and associated slots (not shown) and creasing lines 11, so thatthe stands can be formed at the place of application. The height of thestands can so be chosen that the cups placed into the holes either arecarried by the stacking edge 7 abutting upon the hole edge, or aresupported by the tray. Inside of the inner creasing lines a suitablenumber of plates 12 with projecting flaps 13 are so punched out, thatthe plates by small links connect with the upper surface of the stand.Said plates later can easily be removed upon demand for forming theholes 5 for the cups, and they are intended to be utilized as covers forthe cups. Therefore, the plates at least onthe lower surface are coatedwith plastics. The projecting flaps 13 of the plates thereby form athumbhold of such a length, that it extends past the upper edge of thecup and easily can be grabbed when the cover is placed thereon and thenabuts upon the inner stacking edge 7 of the cup. In addition to eachabove-described cover separate covers may also accompany every stand.

According to a third alternative not shown in detail the tray proper maybe provided with holes, as the tray shown in FIG. 1 and be divided intosections or compartments on both sides, so that one and the same traycan be used with or without a stand. Preferably all trays are providedalong the short sides with a longitudinal band 14, as shown in FIG. 2which can serve as a handle and renders it possible to insert the trayinto a compartment in a medicine closet or lockable wheeled table, inwhich case the bands on the medicine trays according to the thirdalternative are so to be placed at the center of the edging, that theycan be inserted into the compartments irrespective of which side of thetray is turned upwards.

For preventing any mistake in the distribution of medicine, every stand10 and every section 4 in the embodiment shown in FIG. I is adjacent atleast three of the holesprovided with text, for example morning, lunch,evening, indicating the time when the medicine in question is to bedistributed. Also each associated cover may be provided withcorresponding text, as may be implied from FIG. 3. The fourth of theholes shown, which in the embodiments shown properly is a reserve hole,is used for medicines to be distributed in the night or at occasionsother than those indicated, or irregularly. The text for these holes andfor the covers of the cups to be placed therein, therefore, can varyaccording to demand and desire and be written in a marked place when thetray is being prepared.

At the preparation of the medicine tray according to the invention, cupsare placed in the holes and the medicine is placed therein, in whichconnection information on which medicine is to be placed in the cup inquestion can be taken from the aforementioned prescription or from aprescription folder accompanying the medicine tray, which folder isprovided with compartments for receiving the prescription cards of thephysician, said compartments preferably having a transparent front sideand being arranged in the same order as the sections 4 and the stands 10placed in the sections on the tray, and being marked with the sameletter as the sections 4 and stands 10, which also are marked by A, B,C, etc. in the same manner as the sections 4 and provided with the sametext as the aforesaid card 9. The folder, which in unfolded state may beof the same size as the tray, preferably should be provided with adesignation referring to the tray. Subsequent to filling the cups withthe medicine, the cups are provided with covers carrying the textintended. Thereafter the tray is inserted into the medicine closet orwheeled table where it is stored together with the other trays preparedfor that ward. On every tray now are prepared medicines for, forexample, patients for a whole day. If a patient in the morning or atanother occasion is to receive medicine both in solid state, such aspills, and in liquid state, two cups stacked into one another can beplaced into the same hole, the pills being placed in the space betweenthe cups, and the liquid medicine in the upper cup, which is providedwith a cover.

Whatl claim is:

1. Apparatus for storing and distributing medicines to patientscomprising a tray provided with a peripheral flange extending allaround, and divided on its top side into sections, each of said sectionsbeing separated from adjacent sections by bands, open top cups for saidmedicines, cover means for said cups adapted to be marked to indicatethe time when the medicine in respective cups is to be taken, and aplurality of stands each shaped like an open box turned upside down inaccordance with said tray sections so as to be placed in a substantiallynonmovable and detachable manner in said sections of said tray, saidstands being made of a relatively stiff foldable material and adapted tobe delivered in unfolded plane state and with creasing lines forerecting the stands at the place of application, each stand beingprovided with a plurality of cupreceiving means formed as holes in theupper surface of said stand, said upper surface of each stand beinglocated at such a level above said tray that said medicine cups insertedinto said holes are supported by abutting against the hole edges,whereby said stand receives as many cups as are required for at leastthe medicines prescribed to be distributed to one patient at differenttimes during a predetermined period, for example, during 24 hours.

1. Apparatus for storing and distributing medicines to patientscomprising a tray provided with a peripheral flange extending allaround, and divided on its top side into sections, each of said sectionsbeing separated from adjacent sections by bands, open top cups for saidmedicines, cover means for said cups adapted to be marked to indicatethe time when the medicine in respective cups is to be taken, and aplurality of stands each shaped like an open box turned upside down inaccordance with said tray sections so as to be placed in a substantiallynonmovable and detachable manner in said sections of said tray, saidstands being made of a relatively stiff foldable material and adapted tobe delivered in unfolded plane state and with creasing lines forerecting the stands at the place of application, each stand beingprovided with a plurality of cup-receiving means formed as holes in theupper surface of said stand, said upper surface of each stand beinglocated at such a level above said tray that said medicine cups insertedinto said holes are supported by abutting against the hole edges,whereby said stand receives as many cups as are required for at leAstthe medicines prescribed to be distributed to one patient at differenttimes during a predetermined period, for example, during 24 hours.